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Crappie - Good: Crappie are being caught drifting panfish jigs or minnows mid-lake on the lower portion of the lake.

Big Creek Lake

Walleye - Fair: Walleye are being caught in good numbers with more fish over 15 inches. Concentrate on the upper half of the lake in less than 20 feet of water trolling crankbaits or spinner rigs with crawlers or minnows. Shore anglers can pick up walleye as well fishing minnows under slip bobbers off the jetties. Bluegill - Fair: Fish the outside edges of vegetation beds in shallow water with small hooks, crawler pieces and a bobber.

Lake Ahquabi

Bluegill - Good: Good size bluegills are being caught fishing crawlers or small panfish jigs 2 to 6 feet deep on the lower portions of the lake where the vegetation is less dense.

Red Rock Reservoir

White Bass - Good: White bass action is good right now. Find areas where gizzard shad are concentrated and busting on the surface. Cast or troll spoons and shad imitating crankbaits. Shallow diving chrome or firetiger colored baits work well.

Saylorville Reservoir

Channel Catfish - Good: Good summer channel catfishing can be found drifting cut bait above the mile long bridge. White Bass - Good: White bass are in their summer pattern and being caught trolling spoons and crankbaits. Good areas to start searching are out from Sandpiper beach and the Oak Grove Recreation Area.

Des Moines River (Stratford to Saylorville Lake)

Channel Catfish - Good: Good catches of channel catfish are coming out of the Des Moines River above Saylorville using stink baits.

Bluegill and crappie are being caught drift fishing in many lakes while hot weather has white bass fishing picking up in Red Rock and Saylorville. For information on central Iowa lakes and rivers, contact Andy Otting or Ben Dodd at 515-432-2823.

Greenfield Lake

Fish surveys indicate a large crappie population in Greenfield. Panfish can be caught drifting. Greenfield also has good largemouth bass and catfish numbers. Crappie - Fair: Crappies averaging 9 inches can be caught drifting twister tails. Bluegill - Fair: Drift with black jigs tipped with a night crawler or power bait. Fish will average 8 inches. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish can be caught around the jetties and close to rock with shrimp. Fish will average 2 pounds.

Nodaway Lake

Anglers can expect to catch 8 inch bluegills and 9 inch crappie. Crappie - Fair: Drift with white twister tails and cast to sunken trees to catch crappie up to 12 inches. Bluegill - Slow: Drift or slow troll small jigs tipped with a crawler. Fish are 6 feet deep. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish are being caught with cut bait in the upper end of the lake. Fish will average 18 to 20 inches.

Orient Lake

Catfishing is good at Orient. Channel Catfish - Good: Anglers are having success using shrimp or crawdads. Average size catfish is 18 to 20 inches.

Lake Anita

Anglers are catching panfish drifting mid lake. Largemouth bass fishing is good along vegetation edges. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass anglers are catching good numbers of bass casting the edges of vegetation and vertical jigging the roadbeds for larger fish. Black Crappie - Fair: Drift around the roadbeds and cast along vegetation edges to catch crappie up to 12 inches. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegill can be caught drifting small jigs tipped with a crawler or power bait. Fish are in 6 to 8 feet of water.

Viking Lake

Viking has a good largemouth bass population. A few crappies can be caught drifting. Channel catfishing has been good this week. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth of all sizes are being caught casting small spinnerbaits with a slow retrieve or plastics around the shoreline and jetties. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfish can be caught in the campground arm of the lake and south of the beach using cut bait. Fish average 2 pounds. Crappie - Fair: Drift open water areas of the lake with small jigs or twister tails. Fish will average 9 inches.

Prairie Rose Lake

The fishery at Prairie Rose is doing well. Bluegill growth has been very good with fish over nine inches being caught this spring and summer. The crappie fishing is still a couple of years away as they were just stocked last fall. Largemouth bass are growing quickly with many 8 to 10 inch fish in the lake at this time. The initial stocking of catfish are in the 14 to 16 inch range. Bluegill - Fair: Anglers are catching quality size bluegill off the ends of the jetties with night crawler and bobber. Boat anglers are drifting or slow trolling black jigs in open water areas. Largemouth Bass - Good: Many 8 to 10 inch bass are being caught in the lake at this time. Channel Catfish - No Report: Channel catfish are in the 14 to 16 inch range at this time.

Lake Manawa

The catfish bite is good in the canals and on the main lake in the evenings. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing has been good this week. The night bite has been best using Sonny’s dip bait or cut bait.

Hacklebarney East

Hacklebarney has good water clarity with a nice ring of aquatic vegetation. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills can be caught drifting or slow trolling the lake with black jigs tipped with a crawler. Fish average 8 inches. Black Crappie - No Report: Try fishing early morning or late afternoon for crappies averaging 10 inches.

Cold Springs District Farm Ponds

Panfish are in deeper water during the summer. Bass fishing has been good this week early morning and in the afternoon. Catfish are close to structure. Always get permission to fish privately owned ponds. . Largemouth Bass - Good: Cast along vegetation and around structure to catch bass in their summer pattern. Bluegill - Good: Anglers have reported catching bluegills with small jigs and crawler 4 feet under a bobber with a very slow retrieve. Crappie - Fair: Crappie will be in 4 to 6 feet of water around structure. Cast jigs or minnows under a bobber to catch crappie in the summer. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish will associate themselves around sunken logs and along vegetation edges. Fish with cut bait around these habitat types for good summer catfishing.

Water temperatures remain around 80 degrees in the southwest district. Bluegills and crappie can be caught drifting open water. For more information, call the Cold Springs District Office at 712-769-2587

Lake Icaria

Crappie - Fair: Crappies up to 10 inches have been caught with minnows and jigs fished near the cedar tree piles. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills up to 8 inches have been caught with worms and small jigs fished near the fish mounds. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfish up to 20 inches have been caught with worms and liver fished near the fish mounds. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass up to 19 inches have been caught on crankbaits fished near cedar tree piles and rock structure.

West Lake (Osceola)

The marina is closed for improvements.

Little River Watershed Lake

Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish up to 22 inches have been caught with worms and cut bait fished along the jetties. Walleye - Fair: Walleye up to 19 inches have been caught trolling crankbaits along the weed lines. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegill up to 8 inches have been caught with worms fished near the cedar tree piles. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass up to 17 inches have been caught with crankbaits fished along weed lines and near rock reefs.

Lake of Three Fires

Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass up to 18 inches have been caught with crankbaits and jigs fished along the dam and near cedar tree piles in the mornings.

Sands Timber Lake (Blockton Reservoir)

Sands Timber Lake has been drained for the construction of a wetland structure in the west arm.

Green Valley Lake

Bluegill - Slow: Bluegills up to 8 inches have been caught with worms fished along weed lines and near cedar tree piles. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass up to 18 inches have been caught with crankbaits and jigs fished near cedar tree piles and along rock structure.

Summit Lake

Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills up to 8 inches have been caught with worms fished along the weed lines. Yellow Perch - Fair: Perch up to 10 inches have been caught with worms and jigs fished along the weed lines.

Twelve Mile Creek Lake

Yellow Perch - Fair: Perch up to 11 inches have been caught on worms and jigs fished in 14 feet of water near the channel. Walleye - Fair: Walleye up to 19 inches have been caught trolling crankbaits along the weed lines. Crappie - Slow: Crappies up to 12 inches have been caught trolling crankbaits along the weed lines.

Walnut Creek Marsh

Walnut Creek Marsh has been drained for in-lake improvements.

Water temperature in most Mount Ayr District lakes is in the mid-80's. The district includes Page, Taylor, Adams, Union, Ringgold, Decatur, Clarke and Madison counties. For more information, call 641-464-3108.

Missouri River (Sioux City to Little Sioux)

Channel Catfish - Good: Anglers are catching channel catfish with worms, cut bait, and dip baits. Anglers have had success in the mouths of incoming rivers, creeks, around brush piles, and below wing dikes. Flathead Catfish - Good: Flathead catfishing is good on trotlines/rod and reel using chubs, bullheads, and green sunfish. Blue Catfish - Fair: A few blue cats have been caught in this stretch. Fresh cut bait works well.

Missouri River (Little Sioux to Council Bluffs)

Channel Catfish - Good: Anglers are having the best success on stinkbait; for larger fish try cut bait. Fish below wing dikes and in slower portions of the Missouri. Catfish are also being caught in the mouth of tributary streams and rivers. Flathead Catfish - Good: Flathead catfish continue to be caught on trotlines and rod and reel using chubs and live baits. Blue Catfish - Good: blue catfish are being caught on fresh cut bait.

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Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake
Rainbow Trout - Fair: Cast small in-line spinners, spoons, twister tail or tube jigs and live minnows or waxworms under a bobber. Find trout in the north and south sections of the lake; move around to find the schools.

Banner Lake (south)
Rainbow Trout - Good: The spring trout stocking will be Saturday April 7th at 11:00 a.m. Use inline spinners, small casting spoons, 1/8 ounce or smaller jigs with twister tails, and waxworms or minnows under a bobber.

Big Creek Lake
Walleye - Fair: Some anglers are starting to catch walleyes off points and rip rap shorelines in the mid and lower lake. They are being caught on jig and twister tails, jig and minnow, or slow trolling minnow rigs.

Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
Walleye - Fair: It is a good time to fish below the Saylorville and downtown dams. Jigs tipped with twister tails and/or minnows work best. The best walleye fishing will be through April if flows do not get too high. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing with dead shad has been good in the river from Saylorville through downtown Des Moines.

For more information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, contact Andy Otting or Ben Dodd at 515-432-2823.

Farm Creek Lake
Farm Creek Lake will offer good early spring crappie fishing in the upper end as water temperatures warm.

Lake Anita
As water temperatures warm, crappies will move into the pontoon area of the lake.

Lake Manawa
Warm sunny days offer good crappie fishing in the canals. Lake Manawa is also a good destination for early spring catfishing. White Crappie - Slow: A few crappies are being caught in the canals. Warm sunny days are best. Channel Catfish - No Report: Fish the windy shoreline with shad sides or cut bait. Channel catfish in Manawa are all sizes.

Meadow Lake
Meadow has a good population of 10 inch black crappie.

Prairie Rose Lake
Prairie Rose will offer good panfishing this spring. The lake has quality sized bluegills and crappies are acceptable size. Target the brush piles.

Viking Lake
Find early spring crappies in the campground arm and behind the pontoon area. A few bass are being caught in the deeper brush piles. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Jig plastics in deeper brush piles.

There has been little fishing activity this week in the southwest district. For more information, contact the Cold Springs office at 712-769-2587.

Little River Watershed Lake
Walleye - Slow: Catch walleyes up to 22 inches with jigs tipped with a minnow fished along the roadbed.

Lakes in the Mount Ayr district are 100% ice free. Water temperature in most district lakes is about 43 degrees F. Limited fishing activity observed this week. For more information, please call the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-464-3108.

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Banner Lake (south)
Rainbow Trout - Good: Trout were stocked on April 7th. Use inline spinners, small casting spoons, 1/8 ounce or smaller jigs with twister tails, and waxworms or minnows under a bobber.

Big Creek Lake
Walleye - Fair: Some anglers are starting to catch walleyes off points and rip rap shorelines in the mid and lower lake. They are being caught on jig and twister tails, jig and minnow, or slow trolling minnow rigs.

More Central Iowa reports will resume when warmer weather brings anglers back out. For more information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, contact Andy Otting or Ben Dodd at 515-432-2823.

Farm Creek Lake
Farm Creek Lake will offer good early spring crappie fishing in the upper end as water temperatures warm.

Lake Anita
Crappies were caught this week at Lake Anita. As water temperatures warm, crappies will move into the pontoon area of the lake. Black Crappie - Fair: Cast a jig two feet under a bobber in the pontoon area of the lake. Limits of crappie are being taken on warm sunny days. Bluegill - Slow: A few quality size bluegills are being caught.

Lake Manawa
Warm sunny days offer good crappie fishing in the canals. Lake Manawa is also a good destination for early spring catfishing. White Crappie - Slow: A few crappies are being caught in the canals. Warm sunny days are best. Channel Catfish - Fair: Fish the windy shoreline with shad sides or cut bait. Channel catfish in Manawa are all sizes.

Meadow Lake
Meadow has a good population of 10 inch black crappie.

Prairie Rose Lake
Prairie Rose will offer good panfishing this spring. The lake has quality sized bluegills and crappies are acceptable size. Target the brush piles.

Viking Lake
Find early spring crappies in the campground arm and behind the pontoon area. A few bass are being caught in the deeper brush piles. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Jig plastics in deeper brush piles.

Anglers can catch crappie on the right day. Reports of limits taken on warm sunny days. For more information, contact the Cold Springs office at 712-769-2587.

Lakes in the Mount Ayr district are 100% ice free. Water temperature in most district lakes is about 45 degrees. Limited fishing activity observed this week. For more information, please call the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-464-3108.

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Big Creek Lake
Walleye - Fair: Walleyes are being caught off points and rip rap shorelines in the mid and lower lake. Use jig and twister tails, jig and minnow, or slow trolling minnow rigs.

Don Williams Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Slowly troll or drift small twister tails mid-lake or just out from the east shoreline. Expect to fish through some 5-7 inch fish for the 9-10 inchers.

Lake Ahquabi
Black Crappie - Fair: Cast twister tails or minnows under a bobber around the rock jetties, fish house and trail bridge.

For more information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, contact Andy Otting or Ben Dodd at 515-432-2823.

Cold Springs District Farm Ponds
Farm ponds can offer good spring fishing. Always get permission to fish privately owned ponds. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are still in a winter pattern and can be caught around deep structure. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappies are getting active before the spawning period. Look for them just off shore and around shallow structure. Largemouth Bass - Good: As the water temperature warms, bass become very active and can be caught with a variety of lures and plugs. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish feed heavily in the spring on dead fish. Use cut bait or shad sides in the windy shorelines.

Farm Creek Lake
Farm Creek Lake will offer good early spring crappie fishing in the upper end as water temperatures warm.

Lake Anita
Crappie fishing should get good this week in the pontoon arm of the lake. Black Crappie - Fair: Cast a jig two feet under a bobber in the pontoon area of the lake. Limits of crappie are being taken on warm sunny days. Bluegill - Slow: A few quality size bluegills are being caught.

Lake Manawa
Warm sunny days offer good crappie fishing in the canals. Lake Manawa is also a good destination for early spring catfishing. White Crappie - Fair: A few crappies are being caught in the canals. Warm sunny days are best. Channel Catfish - Fair: Fish the windy shoreline with shad sides or cut bait. Channel catfish in Manawa are all sizes.

Meadow Lake
Meadow has a good population of 10 inch black crappie.

Prairie Rose Lake
Prairie Rose will offer good panfishing this spring. The lake has quality sized bluegills and crappies are acceptable size. Target the brush piles. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappies are starting to be caught around the jetties and in tree piles. Fish will average 9 inches. Largemouth Bass - Good: There is a large population of 12 inch bass in the lake that offers fun catch and release fishing.

Viking Lake
Find early spring crappies in the campground arm and behind the pontoon area. A few bass are being caught in the deeper brush piles. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappies are starting to be caught behind the pontoon boats fishing a minnow under a bobber. White Crappie - Slow: An angler reports catching a few large white crappies in deep brush piles and around underwater reefs. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Jig plastics in deeper brush piles.

Fishing should pick up with temperatures forecasted to warm over the weekend and next week. For more information, contact the Cold Springs office at 712-769-2587.

Little River Watershed Lake
Walleye - Fair: Catch walleyes up to 22 inches with jigs tipped with a minnow or trolling along the dam. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Catch largemouth bass up to 18 inches using jigs fished near cedar tree brush piles.

Lakes in the Mount Ayr district are 100% ice free. Water temperature in most district lakes is is in the upper 40's to low 50's. For more information, please call the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-464-3108.

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Beaver Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Some crappies are starting to be caught near shore on the rock jetties and on the rocks on the face of the dam. Crappie fishing should really pick up by the second week of May. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are in the shallow bays on the upper half of the lake between the fishing jetties. They should be easy to target in these areas through May.

Big Creek Lake
Walleye - Good: Walleyes are being caught off mid and lower lake points and the east and west boat ramp bays. Use jig and twister tails, jig and minnow, or slow trolling minnow rigs.

Don Williams Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Slowly troll or drift small twister tails or minnows mid-lake. Crappies are just starting to move towards near-shore wood habitat for the spawn. Expect to fish through some 5-7 inch fish for the 9-10 inchers.

Red Rock Reservoir
Black Crappie - Good: Start targeting crappie in the shallows at Red Rock. Any cove off the main lake or Whitebreast arm with rocky shorelines or wood habitat is worth trying. Try also the rip-rap shorelines near the bridge on the Teter Creek arm and Marina Cove.

Rock Creek Lake
Black Crappie - Good: Crappies are moving shallow; catch them on the rocks along the face of the dam and around the jetties next to the SE boat ramp.

Crappie fishing in Central Iowa is picking up and should be excellent the second and third week of May. For more information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, contact Andy Otting or Ben Dodd at 515-432-2823.

Cold Springs District Farm Ponds
Farm ponds can offer good spring fishing. Always get permission to fish privately owned ponds. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are still in a winter pattern and can be caught around deep structure. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappies are getting active before the spawning period. Look for them just off shore and around shallow structure. Largemouth Bass - Good: As the water temperature warms, bass become very active and can be caught with a variety of lures and plugs. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish feed heavily in the spring on dead fish. Use cut bait or shad sides in the windy shorelines.

Cold Springs Lake
The fish population at Cold Springs looks good. There is an 18 inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass. Bluegill - Fair: Cast a small jig tipped with crawler under a bobber to catch bluegill up to 9 inches. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass can be caught around the shoreline with a variety of spinners and lures.

Farm Creek Lake
Farm Creek Lake will offer good early spring crappie fishing in the upper end as water temperatures warm.

Lake Anita
Crappie fishing should get good this week in the pontoon arm of the lake. Black Crappie - Fair: Cast a jig two feet under a bobber in the pontoon area of the lake. Limits of crappie are being taken on warm sunny days. Bluegill - Slow: Crappie anglers are catching a few quality size bluegills.

Lake Manawa
Warm sunny days offer good crappie fishing in the canals. Lake Manawa is also a good destination for early spring catfishing. White Crappie - Fair: A few crappies are being caught in the canals. Warm sunny days are best. Channel Catfish - Fair: Fish the windy shoreline with shad sides or cut bait. Channel catfish in Manawa are all sizes.

Meadow Lake
Meadow has a good population of 10 inch black crappie. Black Crappie - No Report: Look for pre-spawn crappie along the dam and around underwater reefs.

Orient Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Reports of good crappie fishing around the brush piles. Sorting is needed for the larger fish.

Prairie Rose Lake
Prairie Rose will offer good panfishing this spring. The lake has quality sized bluegills and crappies are acceptable size. Target the brush piles. Bluegill - Slow: A few bluegills are being caught around the underwater reefs. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappies are starting to be caught around the jetties and in tree piles. Fish will average 9 inches. Largemouth Bass - Good: There is a large population of 12 inch bass in the lake that offers fun catch and release fishing.

Viking Lake
Find early spring crappies in the campground arm and behind the pontoon area. A few bass are being caught in the deeper brush piles. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappies are starting to be caught behind the pontoon boats fishing a minnow under a bobber. White Crappie - Slow: An angler reports catching a few large white crappies in deep brush piles and around underwater reefs. Channel Catfish - No Report: Catfish should be actively feeding in the upper ends of the lake where water warms sooner. Use cutbait or shad sides. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Jig plastics in deeper brush piles.

Fishing should pick up with temperatures forecasted to warm over the weekend and next week. For more information, contact the Cold Springs office at 712-769-2587.

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Beaver Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Some crappies are starting to be caught near shore on the rock jetties and on the rocks on the face of the dam. Crappie fishing should really pick up by the second week of May. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are in the shallow bays on the upper half of the lake between the fishing jetties. They should be easy to target in these areas through May.

Big Creek Lake
Walleye - Good: Walleyes are being caught off mid and lower lake points and the east and west boat ramp bays. Use jig and twister tails, jig and minnow, or slow trolling minnow rigs. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappies are starting to be caught in the coves near wood with minnows under a bobber or 1/16oz jigs with white or chartreuse twister tails and tubes.

Don Williams Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Slowly troll or drift small twister tails or minnows up lake from the main boat ramp. Some crappie are starting to move towards near-shore wood on the upper half of the lake. Next week should be better shallow water fishing. Expect to fish through some 5-7 inch fish for the 9-10 inchers.

Red Rock Reservoir
Black Crappie - Good: Start targeting crappie in the shallows at Red Rock. Any cove off the main lake or Whitebreast arm with rocky shorelines or wood habitat is worth trying. Try also the rip-rap shorelines near the bridge on the Teter Creek arm and Marina Cove.

Rock Creek Lake
Black Crappie - Good: Crappies are moving shallow; catch them on the rocks along the face of the dam and around the jetties next to the SE boat ramp.

Crappie fishing in Central Iowa is picking up and should be excellent through most of May. For more information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, contact Andy Otting or Ben Dodd at 515-432-2823.

Cold Springs District Farm Ponds
Farm ponds can offer good spring fishing. Always get permission to fish privately owned ponds. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are still in a winter pattern and can be caught around deep structure. Black Crappie - Good: Crappies are spawning and easy to catch. Find colonies of nesting fish by casting jigs close to shore. Largemouth Bass - Good: As the water temperature warms, bass become very active and can be caught with a variety of lures and plugs. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish feed heavily in the spring on dead fish. Use cut bait or shad sides in the windy shorelines.

Cold Springs Lake
The fish population at Cold Springs looks good. There is an 18 inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass. Bluegill - Good: Cast a small jig tipped with crawler under a bobber to catch bluegill up to 9 inches. Black Crappie - Fair: A few black crappie are being caught around the underwater rock piles. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Catch bass around the shoreline with a variety of spinners and lures.

Farm Creek Lake
Farm creek will offer good spring fishing. Crappie should be spawning and close to shore. Black Crappie - No Report: Crappie should be close to shore spawning. Black crappie in Farm Creek are quality size fish. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills should begin to spawn soon. Cast the shoreline with small jigs and move often to find fish.

Lake Anita
Crappie fishing is good right now. Bluegills are also being picked up close to shore. Black Crappie - Good: Cast around rocky shorelines and the jetties to find spawning crappie. Fish will average 9 inches. Bluegill - Fair: Crappie anglers are catching a few quality size bluegills. Largemouth Bass - Good: Cast to structure to catch bass of all sizes.

Lake Manawa
Crappies are close to shore and can be caught with small jigs. Lake Manawa is also a good destination for early spring catfishing. White Crappie - Good: White crappies are close to shore. Move often if you are not catching fish. Concentrate on rocky shorelines like the west shore and canals. Channel Catfish - Fair: Fish the windy shoreline with shad sides or cut bait. Channel catfish in Manawa are all sizes.

Meadow Lake
Meadow has a good population of 10 inch black crappie. Black Crappie - No Report: Look for pre-spawn crappie along the dam and around underwater reefs.

Mormon Trail Lake
Anglers report good crappie fishing around the jetties. Black Crappie - Good: Cast small jigs around the jetties and dam to find spawning crappie. Fish will average 9 inches.

Orient Lake
Anglers report good crappie fishing in the new brush piles and along the dam. Black Crappie - Fair: Reports of good crappie fishing around the brush piles and along rocky shorelines. Sorting is needed for the larger fish.

Prairie Rose Lake
Prairie Rose will offer good panfishing this spring. The lake has quality sized bluegills and crappies are acceptable size. Target the brush piles. Bluegill - Slow: A few bluegills are being caught around the underwater reefs. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappies are starting to be caught around the jetties and in tree piles. Fish will average 9 inches. Largemouth Bass - Good: There is a large population of 12 inch bass in the lake that offers fun catch and release fishing.

Viking Lake
Anglers are catching spawning crappies around underwater reefs and rocky shorelines. A few bass are being caught in the deeper brush piles. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappies are starting to be caught behind the pontoon boats fishing a minnow under a bobber. White Crappie - Good: Boat anglers are finding white crappies around underwater reefs. Channel Catfish - No Report: Catfish should be actively feeding in the upper ends of the lake where water warms sooner. Use cutbait or shad sides. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Jig plastics in deeper brush piles.

Water temperatures are reaching 70 degrees in the S.W. district. Crappies are close to shore spawning.For more information, contact the Cold Springs office at 712-769-2587.

Water temperature in most district lakes is in the in the mid 60's. For more information, please call the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-464-3108.

MISSOURI RIVER

Missouri River (Sioux City to Little Sioux)
Channel Catfish - Slow: A few anglers are catching catfish on worms and cut bait below wing dams and along the banks. Sauger - Fair: Spring is a good time to catch sauger and walleye on the Missouri. Use jigs tipped with minnows or worms below wing dams or where tributary streams or rivers come into the Missouri River. Shovelnose sturgeon - Good: Anglers are catching shovelnose sturgeon on live bait rigs tipped with worms. Freshwater Drum - Fair: Try using live bait rigs or jigs tipped with worms along the bank and around tributary stream or rivers where they join the Missouri River. Blue Catfish - No Report: Spring can be a great time to catch some big blue catfish. Use fresh cutbait with live bait rigs along wing dam tips or in or close to the main channel of the Missouri River.

Missouri River (Little Sioux to Council Bluffs)
Channel Catfish - Fair: A few anglers are catching catfish on worms and cut bait below wing dams and along the banks. Sauger - Fair: Spring is a good time to catch sauger and walleye on the Missouri. Use jigs tipped with minnows or worms below wing dams or where tributary streams or rivers come into the Missouri River. Shovelnose sturgeon - Good: Anglers are catching shovelnose sturgeon on live bait rigs tipped with worms. Freshwater Drum - Fair: Try using live bait rigs or jigs tipped with worms along the bank and around tributary stream or rivers where they join the Missouri River. Blue Catfish - No Report: Spring can be a great time to catch some big blue catfish. Use fresh cutbait with live bait rigs along wing dam tips or in or close to the main channel of the Missouri River.

Missouri River (Council Bluffs to Missouri State Line)
Channel Catfish - Fair: A few anglers are catching catfish on worms and cut bait below wing dams and along the banks. Sauger - Slow: Spring is a good time to catch sauger and walleye on the Missouri. Use jigs tipped with minnows or worms below wing dams or where tributary streams or rivers come into the Missouri River. Shovelnose sturgeon - Good: Anglers are catching shovelnose sturgeon on live bait rigs tipped with worms. Freshwater Drum - Fair: Try using live bait rigs or jigs tipped with worms along the bank and around tributary stream or rivers where they join the Missouri River. Blue Catfish - Fair: Anglers are catching a few blue catfish on with fresh cutbait. Try by the wing dam tips, close to or in the main channel of the Missouri River for your best chance at getting bigger blue catfish.

The Missouri River at Decatur, Nebraska is at 25.79 feet /50,700 cfs./61 degrees Fahrenheit . The Missouri River is up 5 degrees from last week and dropped .46 feet from last week. Fishing has been slow with few anglers out with the higher water conditions on the Missouri River along the Iowa border. The Army Corps of Engineers is releasing water from Gavin's Point Dam due to snow melt from up North, which has contributed to higher than normal water conditions.

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I would be out a morning or two if I still had the tag. Afternoons must be a sauna in a blind. We hunted in shorts and t-shirts in early May and were still hot when afternoon temps reached around 82 - 85 degrees.

Well wondering if anyone is going to be out in the heat for the last turkey season. I was out last night and just needed a nice strutter to get a bit closer. I moved the blind to his entry/exit point. He didn't want to follow the hen when she walked by my blind twice. He stayed on the high ground in the field. Hoping for better results.

Game 6 of Caps and Lightning was fun to watch, even though the lightning got shut out. Ove was a beast, really fun to watch him play like that.
Good for the Caps, I think they can nuetralize the speed of Vegas, they have some hard hitters on the team. Hopefully Ove can kiss the cup.

Well this has been a tough season so far with this odd weather. Late winter jump into 80+ degrees. It will be interesting to see what these next 4-5 days of 80's to 90's do to them?
Did find a few Morel's and some nice small tender Pheasant backs last time out.

For the 2018 Minnesota Fishing Opener we went up to Lake Vermilion in search of Walleyes. The morning started off slow for us so we changed up the tactics and it resulted in a livewell full of walleyes, a few Slot fish and a new Personal Best!